How to Choose the Best Priming Session To Enhance Performance
In last week’s SciSport blog we discussed how to use exercise to optimize game-day performance. Priming sessions, warm-ups, and PAPE activities can enhance performance outcomes. A brand new research study, “Ballistic Exercise Versus Heavy Resistance Exercise Protocols: Which Resistance Priming Is More Effective for Improving Neuromuscular Performance on the Following Day?” by Nishioka, et al (2023) published in this month’s Journal of Strength & Conditioning take’s an in-depth look into comparing ballistic exercise priming (BEP) vs heavy-resistance priming (HRP) during sessions that occur the previous day.(1) The study compares these two different approaches to determine test which method is optimal for improving ballistic performance (jumping, plyometric, explosive movement) 24hrs after the priming session.
Immediately prior to competition, a warm-up session is usually performed including low volume exercises that takes advantage of the PAPE (postactivation performance enhancement) effect, resulting in a short term boost in neuromuscular performance; however, this boost typically lasts only for a short time, no longer than 20min. Recent evidence to also include a priming session comes from recent studies that demonstrate a delayed neuromuscular potentiation effect up to 48hr.(2)
Find out all you need to know on priming sessions, warm-ups, and the PAPE effect.
Check out lasts week’s SciSport Blog
A priming session is typically performed the day before competition or the morning of competition that takes place at least 6hr after the priming session. In previous studies, BEP and HRP have been show to increase jump performance 6hr after the priming session.(3) This evidence is great for competition events that take place in the evening but impossible to apply to morning or mid-day events. Today’s study compares the benefits of each method 24hrs after the priming session, providing coaches with applicable strategies to best prepare athletes competition.
The priming sessions being tested were as follows:
Ballistic Exercise Priming:
Squat Jump - 5x4 at 40% 1RM
Heavy-Resistance Priming:
Half Squat
1x2 at 60% 1RM
3x2 at 85% 1RM
A squat jump is done by bending the knees to 90 degrees, pausing for 2sec before initiating a vertical jump at max capacity. A half squat is simply a weighted squat to a knee bent position of 90 degrees. In both exercises the 1RM is in reference to the 1RM of the participant’s half squat weight. In the study, jumping variations, including squat jumps, drop jump, and counter-movement jumps were tested both before and 24hr after the priming sessions. Both jump types were tested at body weight and with 40% 1RM additional loads.
So What’s The Best Priming Session
The counter-movement jump at bodyweight improved by a +5.62% increase in jump height 24hr after ballastic-exericse priming! Both the max power and max velocity increased in the BEP group. No changes in jump performance were measured 24hr after the heavy-resistance priming session. It’s important to note that perceptions of fatigue and muscle soreness were equal in both groups.
It’s likely that the heavy-resistance priming was not a specific enough movement to elicit improvements in jumping. Squats produce high force at low velocity whereas jumping is high force at high velocity. The ballistic exercise priming session included movements that were more closely similar to the jump testing. This indicates the a valuable priming session will include exercises that mimic the sport specific movements.
The results of this study further confirm the usefulness of a ballistic exercise based priming session to improve neuromuscular performance the day before competition. This delayed potentiation is movement specific and velocity specific.
Don’t count out resistance based priming just yet!
HRP Priming Sessions
HRP sessions are are great for the morning of competition (~6hr before game time). A previous study demonstrated improved counter-movement jump, 40m sprint time, and 3RM bench and squat performance when 3RM bench presses and squats were performed during the morning of the same day.(4) The benefits of a heavy-resistance exercise priming session are highly effective in optimizing sport performance; however, these benefits do not last as long (the next day) compared to ballistic exercise priming sessions.
Utilize a ballistic exercise based priming session for priming sessions done the day before competition. Utilize a heavy-resistance exercise based priming session for sessions done the morning of competition (~6hr prior to competition).
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References:
Nishioka, Takuya1; Okada, Junichi2. Ballistic Exercise Versus Heavy Resistance Exercise Protocols: Which Resistance Priming Is More Effective for Improving Neuromuscular Performance on the Following Day?. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 37(10):p 1939-1946, October 2023.
Harrison PW, James LP, Jenkins DG, et al. Time course of neuromuscular, hormonal, and perceptual responses following moderate- and high-load resistance priming exercise. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 16: 1472–1482,2021.
Saez Saez de Villarreal E, Gonz ´alez-Badillo JJ, IzquierdoM. Optimal warm-up stimuli of muscle activation to enhance short and longterm acute jumping performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 100: 393–401, 2007.
Cook CJ, Kilduff LP, Crewther BT, Beaven M, West DJ. Morning based strength training improves afternoon physical performance in rugby union players. J Sci Med Sport 17: 317–321, 2014.
Disclaimer: This SciSport blog post is a summary of an article printed in an academic research journal. The purpose of this blog post is to provide readers with academic and educational content in an easy-to-understand format. We take no credit for the material and knowledge presented, and we encourage readers to take a look at the original source provided in the References section
